**Policy Summary: Clarification Regarding Offshore Atomic Mineral Mining Rights**
This policy summary addresses recent misleading media reports concerning private sector involvement in the exploration and mining of atomic minerals (e.g., Uranium, Thorium) from India's offshore regions. The Ministry of Mines clarifies that the reports are factually incorrect and contradict existing legislation and regulations.
The Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Operating Rights Rules, 2025, notified on July 14, 2025, in consultation with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), strictly limit the grant of operating rights for atomic minerals to the Government, Government companies, or corporations. This position is consistent with the Offshore Areas Mineral Development and Regulation (OAMDR) Amendment Act, 2023, which amended the OAMDR Act of 2002, effective August 17, 2023. Section 6 of the OAMDR Act explicitly restricts the granting of exploration licenses, composite licenses, or production leases for atomic minerals to governmental entities, as specified in Part B of the First Schedule to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957.
Section 35 of the OAMDR Act, 2002, empowers the Central Government to establish rules for the effective implementation of the Act. The Ministry of Mines reaffirms its commitment to transparency and adherence to legislative mandates, ensuring that the exploration and mining of atomic minerals remain under strict regulatory control, in accordance with national security and policy considerations.
Release ID: 2152797.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Mines: The Indian government ministry responsible for the administration and regulation of mines and minerals.
Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Rules, 2025: Rules notified by the Central Government of India regarding operating rights for atomic minerals in offshore areas.
Offshore Areas Mineral Development and Regulation Amendment Act, 2023: An amendment to the Offshore Areas Mineral Development and Regulation Act.
Offshore Areas Mineral Development and Regulation Act, 2002: An act of the Indian Parliament concerning the development and regulation of mineral resources in offshore areas.
Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957: A law related to the regulation of mines and the development of minerals in India.
Department of Atomic Energy: The nodal department for regulating atomic minerals in India.
Uranium: An atomic mineral mentioned in the context of mining and exploration activities.
Thorium: An atomic mineral mentioned in the context of mining and exploration activities.
Ministry of Mines
Media Reports of Private Entities Getting Permission
to Mine and Explore Atomic Minerals from Offshore
Regions are Incorrect
Posted On: 05 AUG 2025 9:24PM by PIB Delhi
It has come to the notice of the Ministry of Mines that there were some recent media reports suggesting that
the Union Government has permitted private sector participation in the exploration and mining of atomic
minerals such as Uranium and Thorium from the country’s offshore regions by notifying the Offshore Areas
Atomic Minerals Rules, 2025. Such reports are misleading and factually incorrect.
The Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Operating Rights Rules, 2025 provide the procedure for the grant of
operating rights for atomic mineral only to the Government, Government companies, or corporations and not
to private entities.
It is important to state that Parliament, through the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation)
(Amendment) Act, 2023, amended the Offshore Areas Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 2002,
effective from 17th August 2023. The First proviso to Section 6 of the OAMDR Act, 2002 explicitly restricts
the grant of exploration licences, composite licences, or production leases for atomic minerals (specified in
Part B of the First Schedule to the MMDR Act, 1957) to the Government, Government companies, or
corporations only, subject to prescribed conditions and threshold values notified by the Central Government.
Further, under Section 35 of the OAMDR Act, 2002, the Central Government is empowered to frame rules for
the effective implementation of the Act. Accordingly, the Offshore Areas Atomic Minerals Operating Rights
Rules, 2025 were notified on 14th July 2025 in consultation with the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE),
the nodal department for regulating atomic minerals. The rules provide the procedure for the grant of
operating rights for atomic mineral only to the Government, Government companies, or corporations.
In light of the above, the media reports appear to be not consistent with the facts, provisions of the relevant
Acts, Rules, and policy frameworks governing atomic minerals in India.
The Ministry of Mines reaffirms its commitment to transparency, adherence to legislative mandates, and
ensuring that the exploration and mining of atomic minerals remain under strict regulatory control in
accordance with national security and policy considerations.
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Shuhaib T
(Release ID: 2152797)